American Security Council Foundation (ASCF)

FEATURED NEWS POST

Ban Says Security Council Understands 'Urgency' of Syria Situation

By American Security Council Foundation ASCF February 1, 2012 @ 10:31am

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the Security Council understands the "urgency" of the situation in Syria, as Arab and Western nations urge the Council to adopt a resolution calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

After a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Wednesday, Ban said that all violence in Syria must stop.

 

Pakistan Carries Out Deadly Bombing Raids Near Afghan Border

By American Security Council Foundation ASCF February 1, 2012 @ 10:29am

Pakistan says its fighter jets have bombed militant hideouts in the country's northwest along the Afghan border, killing at least 18 insurgents.

The bombing Wednesday in the Kurram tribal region came a day after dozens of militants attacked a security post there. At least 10 Pakistani soldiers and 40 Taliban militants were killed in subsequent fighting Tuesday.

US Intel Chiefs Assess Iranian Threat

By American Security Council Foundation ASCF February 1, 2012 @ 10:16am

America’s top intelligence official says Iran is increasingly willing to conduct attacks in the United States or against U.S. interests overseas, but does not appear to have decided to build a nuclear weapon.

In written testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, said last year’s foiled plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington shows that some Iranian officials “are now more willing to conduct an attack in the United States in response to real or perceived actions that threaten the regime.” He said such officials could include the country’s supreme leader.

 

France Lands Indian Fighter Jet Deal

By American Security Council Foundation ASCF February 1, 2012 @ 10:10am

India has decided to buy 126 fighter jets from French firm Dassault in a $11 billion deal that is one of the world's largest arms contracts.

Indian government officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told reporters Tuesday that Dassault was the lowest bidder and beat out the Eurofighter consortium to clinch the contract.

 

Selma on the Nile

By Dr. James Robbins January 31, 2012 @ 12:32pm

A minority group’s neighborhood was torched because of a perceived slight to a woman belonging to the majority. No it isn’t the Old South, it’s the New Egypt.

Violence ensued last Friday in the town of Kobry el-Sharbat when a rumor spread that Mourad Samy Guirgis, a Coptic Christian, had an “intimate picture” of a Muslim woman on his cellphone. Rioters looted and burned shops and homes of local Copts. Mr. Guirgis fled to the police for protection. Military units were dispatched to quell the disturbance, but they were slow to respond. By the time they had arrived the damage was done. Similar attacks on Coptic communities are a weekly occurrence.